Super Bowl LX crew by the numbers

It is here. The final NFL football game of the season. The Seahawks and Patriots will play for glory in Super Bowl LX, and Shawn Smith will lead the officiating crew to make sure the game is played by the rules.

Here are some insights on this year’s crew.

I. Five of seven officials worked a playoff game together

All Super Bowl officials work one playoff game before the big game. Usually it is a sideline combination or a referee/umpire combination. I can’t recall the entire Super Bowl crew working a prior playoff game as an entire unit.

But we came close this year. Seven of the nine members of the officiating crew – referee Shawn Smith, down judge Dana McKenzie, line judge Julian Mapp, field judge Jason Ledet, side judge Eugene Hall, and the replay booth of Andrew Lambert and Julie Johnson all worked the Patriots – Texans divisional playoff. Umpire Roy Ellison worked the Seahawks – 49ers divisional playoff, and back judge Greg Steed worked the Bears – Rams divisional game.

II. Super Bowl experience

Last year, a majority of the Super Bowl LIX crew was working their first Super Bowl game and the crew only had four combined previous Super Bowl assignments.

This year’s crew is the most experienced crew since Super Bowl LVII in 2022. The Super Bowl LX crew has nine combined previous Super Bowl assignments, and three officials (Smith, Mapp and Ledet) are calling their first big game.

In Super Bowl XXXIV, Bob McElwee’s crew had a combined 14 assignments to a prior Super Bowl. It is highly doubtful that there will be a more experienced crew call the game.

Last year was the third straight year a Super Bowl referee had a previous Super Bowl assignment. That streak is broken with Smith’s assignment. This is the second straight year for a first-time Super Bowl line judge and a first-time Super Bowl field judge. All other positions are sitting on two straight years where the official has worked a previous Super Bowl.

III. Some impressive playoff records

Side judge Eugene Hall (who has also worked as a field judge) has been eligible for the playoffs for 11 straight seasons. He has been assigned to work 17-playoff games on the field in those 11 years. This is his fourth Super Bowl assignment – all at side judge. This is his fourth Super Bowl in an eight-year span. You have to go back to the late Bob Beeks, a line judge who called five Super Bowls in a 10-year span to find a more impressive Super Bowl run.

Hall now holds the record for most Super Bowls at the side judge position, breaking a tie with Tom Fincken and Laird Hayes.

Five officials have called a record five Super Bowls. Hall has several more years left on the field if his health holds and he wants to keep going. Could he move into a tie or even break the record?

Referee Shawn Smith is also building up an impressive playoff record. This is his ninth straight year with a playoff assignment. As playoff assignments become more competitive, long playoff assignment streaks become more impressive.

IV. Majority minority crew

Super Bowl LIV was the first time a majority of the on-field crew (four) were minorities. It happens a second time in Super Bowl LX as five of the seven on-field crew are minorities.

V. All in the family

This is the fourth Super Bowl where a McKenzie has called the game. This is Dana McKenzie’s second Super Bowl, and his father Dick also called two Super Bowls.

And we have Super Bowl cousins. Boris Cheek has called four Super Bowls, and his cousin Greg Steed is calling his third Super Bowl.

VI. Rematches

This is the second time the Seahawks and Patriots will face each other in the Super Bowl.

Down judge Dana McKenzie is the third official to officiate a Super Bowl between the same teams twice.

VII. Crew numbers

You knew we’d get to it! For all the numerologists out there, here is the number break down.

There are no new officiating numbers calling a Super Bowl this year, and it’s been that way for awhile.

This is the third time a two different referees have worn the same number for a Super Bowl. Smith and Gene Barth have worn 14. Going back, Gerald Austin and Clete Blakeman called a Super Bowl wearing 34. And, Tommy Bell and Fred Silva called a Super Bowl wearing 7.

This is the second-straight year that only one official has a triple-digit number (Eugene Hall). The last Super Bowl that didn’t have at least one on-field official with a triple-digit jersey number was Super Bowl XLIV. The crew with most triple-digit jerseys was Super Bowl XLVI which had five officials sporting a number over 100.

Discounting the special numbers in Super Bowls I and II, and the 1979-81 numbering system, the numbers worn the most times in the Super Bowl are:

• 9 — nine times
• 34 — eight times
• 25, 32, 51, 77 and 106 — seven times
• 41, 59 — six times

Enjoy the day, and enjoy zebra watching the final game of the year!